India confirmed 2 laboratory-confirmed cases of Nipah virus infection in the state of West Bengal in January 2026; both patients were 25-year-old nurses employed at the same private hospital in Barasat and developed neurologic complications after symptom onset in late December 2025. 1

Copy India has reported two confirmed cases of the Nipah virus infection from West Bengal, said the World Health Organization (WHO), adding that it considered the risk of further spread of infection from these cases to be “low”.

The virus’s high fatality rate has prompted precautionary measures across Asia, even as analysts say the outbreak remains limited.

Nipah virus cases in West Bengal have prompted heightened surveillance across Asia, with airports and border crossings implementing health screenings. While not highly transmissible like COVID-19, Nipah has a high fatality rate and spreads through close contact,